Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - The Haunting of Hill House

Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

171 reviews

melongin's review against another edition

3.5

mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I read it for a book club. I did enjoy it, it just didn't blow me away, although I'm not really one for the horror genre. I think my expectations were high because of the Netflix TV show based on the book. I didn't realize the book was completely different with just the house and the names of the characters being the same as the TV show.

Content Warnings

readsandsuch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

what if a guy built a house that was so wrong lesbians kept dying in it?

Content Warnings

readsandsuch's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Stellar audiobook. The narrator did such a great job with all of the characters and making the setter atmospheric.

Content Warnings

annabellw06_'s review against another edition

4.25

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

kurumipanda's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

stephe's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Wow. I was expecting to enjoy this book based on its reputation and how much I liked Mike Flanagan’s Netflix adaptation, and it exceeded expectations! Jackson’s prose is *chef’s kiss* so good. The characters are so well-written: no one is explained to you, not even Eleanor, whose interiority is most in view. The dialogue is punchy and sharp. And the spooky factor is top-notch. Also, it seems very clearly to be a story about queer awakening, longing, and isolation that’s both profound and devastating. All around great book, and it deserves its place as one of the best ghost stories ever written.

Content Warnings

meliemelo's review against another edition

4.25

mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Quite spooky, and I loved how much of it remained mysterious. It made me appreciate the Flanaghan adaptation even more, seeing what had been used and how. I'm also really curious to watch the first movie adaptation (the one with Catherine Zeta-Jones was... well, maybe tried to explain too much, and went for spectacular above all else).

But back to the novel itself. It was very atmospheric, more psychological than I expected, with the characters' emotions and behaviour progressively hightened. I would love to read essays about Eleanor and especially Theo (may have gotten a bit of a headstart on that one).

Content Warnings